Lisbon
The drums of Mozambique and the Cape Verde Islands beat among the cobbled alleys and tiny squares rising up from the River Tagus in the hilly Alfama neighbourhood. This pulsing district is the contemporary legacy of Portugal's colonial history. Unimaginable riches flowed Lisbon's way while Portugal controlled the global trade in spices; the trappings are everywhere, from the outrageously flamboyant Jerónimos monastery to the triumphalist Monument to the Discoveries in the riverfront Belém district.
Where to stay:
Solar dos Mouros, 6 Rua do Milagre de Santo António (00 351 218 854940) is a fantastic little hotel in the heart of Alfama, with views over the Tagus.
Where to eat:
Lisbon's soulful fado music is enjoying a revival as cool fadista Marisa takes the World Music scene by storm. Most fado houses are also restaurants where you remain at your table listening to performances. The more authentic joints include Noite a Lisboa at 69 Rua das Gaveis (00 351 213 462603) and Taverna do Embuçado at 10 Beco dos Cortumes (00 351 218 865088).
What to drink:
A Giraffe, if you have time. Uma girafa is a whole litre of draft beer, served in - you guessed it - a tall glass with an inordinately long neck.
Don't miss:
Parque das Nações, the freakishly postmodern site of Expo '98 on the Tagus estuary to the north-east, fizzes with open-air restaurants, bars, nightclubs and live gigs (www.parquedasnacoes.pt).
The games: (Luz Stadium)
13 June - France v England
16 June - Russia v Portugal
21 June - Croatia v England
24 June - Quarter-Final
4 July - Final
(Alvalade XXI Stadium)
14 June - Sweden v Bulgaria
20 June - Spain v Portugal
23 June - Germany v Czech Republic
25 June - Quarter-Final
30 June - Semi-Final
Porto
Lisboetas are prone to characterise Portugal's hard-working, industrial second city as dour. Not during Euro 2004 they won't. Soccer-mad Porto gets the honour of hosting the opening ceremony and match, plus six other fixtures including the clash of titans - Germany and the Netherlands (15 June) - and a semi-final. As in Lisbon, the football is happening over the city's annual festa of São João (St John), this year on 23-24 June. The place to be for the fireworks and races of traditional barco rabelo (port boats) on the Douro is in the higgledy-piggledy Ribeira old town on the north bank of the river.
Where to stay:
In the thick of things - either the city centre, or the Ribeira. The grand old Infante de Sagres (00 351 223 398500) is on Praça Dona Filipa right in the heart of town, while Hotel da Bolsa, 101 Rua Ferreira Borges (00 351 222 026768) is in the Ribeira, overlooking the Douro.
Where to eat:
The Ribeira is within easy walking distance of the city centre hotels, and is the place to try local dishes at restaurants such as the excellent Filha da Moe Preta at 40 Cais da Ribeira (00 351 222 055515) on the waterside. Try the arroz de marisco (spicy seafood rice), though I bet you can't stomach the tripas a Portuguesa (tripe with beans), another local speciality.
What to drink:
Port, of course. The Ribeira faces Vila Nova de Gaia on the other side of the Douro, reached via the double-decker Dom Luis I bridge. This is the home of port, where there are free tours of the cobwebby 'lodges', followed by tastings. Take care not to fall into the Douro as you stagger back.
Don't miss:
Porto's electric clubbing scene. Most places hot up well after midnight and are open until 4 or 5am. Trilogia on Rua São João 48-50 (00 351 222 051159) plays the best Brazilian music in town and sometimes has live bands.
The games: (Dragão Stadium)
12 June - Portugal v Greece
15 June - Germany v Netherlands
18 June- Italy v Sweden
27 June - Quarter-Final
1 July - Semi-Final
(Bessa XX1 Stadium)
16 June - Greece v Spain
19 June - Latvia v Germany
22 June - Denmark v Sweden
Faro
The Algarve is the only part of Portugal to have a truly Mediterranean climate, with multitudes arriving on charter flights at Faro airport, gateway to the beach resorts and some of the finest golf courses in Europe. Faro, the Algarve's capital, is frequently overlooked - mainly because the nearest decent beach is 10 kilometres away. This is a blessing as it means Faro has survived with its charm intact: a romantic old town of cobbled squares and a soaring cathedral enclosed within imperious city walls; and cafes lining the old harbour.
Where to stay:
Not in town. Five-star golf and beach resort Quinta do Lago (00 351 289 350350, www.quintadolagohotel.com), where the Beckham family are regular guests, is 15 minutes away.
Where to eat:
Feast on some of the freshest Atlantic seafood you will find anywhere, al fresco at Mesa dos Mouros on Largo da Sé (00 351 289 878873).
What to drink:
Medronho, the local firewater distilled from arbutus - a sort of wild strawberry.
Don't miss:
Capela dos Ossos (chapel of bones) on Largo do Carmo, if you have a stomach for the ghoulish. The walls of this 'ossuary' are lined with human bones and grinning skulls of long-deceased monks. Open Mon-Fri, 9am-noon and 3-6pm, Sat 10am-1pm, entrance €1.
The games:
12 June - Spain v Russia
20 June - Russia v Greece
26 June - Quarter-Final
Coimbra
Coimbra (pronounce it 'Queenborough', and you're not far wrong) is an ancient university city on a hill overlooking the river Mondego. The Heidelberg or Oxford of Portugal is the venue for England and Switzerland's pools stage clash on 17 June. Hordes of fans with a taste for high culture will be checking out architectural jewels such as the Renaissance cathedral and the Joanina library with its famous gilt ceiling. And if you believe that, you will believe anything. More likely, the bars and cafes around the Arco de Almedina will be humming like never before.
Where to stay:
The Buçaco Palace Hotel in the Mata de Buçaco (00 351 231 937970) describes itself in a brochure as 'the shadiest hotel in Portugal'. What is being referred to is the surrounding walled forest; however, this former royal hunting lodge outside Coimbra is a bizarre and surreal confection of trompe l'oeil ceilings, suits of armour, sweeping staircases and spiralling towers.
Where to eat:
For hum and al fresco atmosphere, and bowls of fresh Atlantic sapateiras (giant hairy crabs), go to the Café Carpola on Praça da República.
What to drink:
As you might expect in a student town, Coimbra enjoys the reputation of beer-drinking capital of Portugal. Draft Sagres goes well with the crabs.
Don't miss:
Nearby Figueira da Foz beach, where surfers chill. There is usually a crowd of goateed Aussies talking Sex Wax and Atlantic rip curl.
The games:
17 June - England v Switzerland
21 June - Switzerland v France
Leiria
Until earlier this year, Leiria was a one-horse town - its only attraction being the 12th-century castle atop a rocky hill, from which there are fabulous views across an expansive plain. Now a second horse has been added - the striking Magalhães Pessoa stadium, in the lee of the castle. Here, the might of Croatia will take on first Switzerland, then France, in group matches which could decide England's fate. Leiria is about an hour's drive from Lisbon, a little more from Porto, but once the matches are over there will be little to detain fans.
Where to stay:
Your best bet is to leave town and head for nearby Batalha where you can stay in the luxurious Pousada do Mestre Afonso Dominguez (00 351 244 765260; www.pousadas.pt), bang next to the soaring Batalha Abbey.
Where to eat:
Best nosh by a mile is at Tromba Rija (00 351 244 855072) on Rua Professores Portelas just outside town.
What to drink: Titillating herbal tea at Malagueta Afrodisiaca bar, 17 Rua Gago Coutinho (00 351 244 831607). The Dao house wine is good too, but may not have the same effect.
Don't miss:
Nearby Fátima is one of the foremost places of pilgrimage in the Roman Catholic world. Tens of thousands gather on the 13th of every month from May to October, anniversaries of the apparition in 1917 of the Virgin Mary to three peasant children, warning of cataclysmic events about to take place in Russia.
The games:
13 June - Switzerland v Croatia
17 June - Croatia v France
Aveiro
Local tourist literature trumpets Aveiro as 'The Venice of Portugal!' Don't be taken in. True, the town at the edge of the vast Ria d'Aveiro lagoon is sliced through by a trio of canals, each spanned by humpback bridges. But here the Venetian comparisons end. Aveiro's brightly painted clapboard houses along the quayside are redolent of the New England seaboard; the Ria, meanwhile, is a bit like a mini Everglades (minus the 'gators).
Where to stay:
At the Pousada da Ria (00 351 234 860180; www.pousadas.pt) at Bico do Muranzel, Torreira-Murtosa, overlooking the lagoon outside Aveiro.
Where to eat:
People come from as far away as Porto for the fish and seafood at O Telheiro (00 351 234 429473) on Largo Praça do Peixe. Be sure to book.
What to drink:
Espumante, the dry, regional sparkling wine.
Don't miss:
Praia da Mira, the seemingly endless stretch of dune-backed beach between the lagoon and the Atlantic.
The games:
15 June - Czech Republic v Latvia
19 June - Netherlands v Czech Republic
Guimarães
The original capital of Portugal, with an historic kernel centred on the castle where Dom Alfonso Henriques was crowned king of the newly independent nation in 1139.
Where to stay:
The Pousada de Nossa Senhora da Oliveira, a 16th-century former monastery on Rua de Santa Maria (00 351 253 514157), reputed to be haunted by a benign sylph.
Where to eat:
Solar do Arco (00 351 253 513072) on Rua Santa Maria is one of the best fish restaurants in the region.
What to drink:
The local vinho verde grown all over the Minho. It brims with character and is usually consumed within a year of being made, but does not travel well.
Don't miss:
The huge and riotous market, starting at dawn every Thursday in nearby Barcelos.
The games:
14 June - Denmark v Italy
22 June - Italy v Bulgaria
Braga
The furthest flung of the host cities and an unlikely soccer venue. Overflowing with churches and stately buildings of decaying elegance, Braga is also a convenient base for seeing some of the remote towns and villages of the Minho.
Where to stay:
There's nowhere smart. Albergaria da Senhora-a-Branca (00 351 253 269938) is a charming little inn a kilometre out of town.
Where to eat:
Lusty, hearty Minhoto dishes, such as suckling pig or braised kid, at A Ceia (00 351 253 263932) on Largo do Rechicho.
What to drink:
More vinho verde. Have some at the James Dean bar - a bizarre and unlikely homage to the actor on Rua Santo Andre.
Don't miss:
The naughty pottery, which betrays an earthy humour in counterpoint to the local religiosity. Every market has a selection of cherubic-looking monks which, if you pull the cords on their habits, may shock the innocent.
The games:
18 June - Bulgaria v Denmark
23 June - Netherlands v Latvia
Getting there... and staying there
Forget England's prospects at Euro 2004 for a moment: what's the outlook for British holidaymakers travelling to Portugal?
All of England's group games are sold out, but you can still buy tickets for many of the other Phase 1 games, between 13 and 23 June (from €35). For further details, and to buy tickets online, visit the official www.euro2004.com.
Accommodation
The site suggests that you can book accommodation online, but don't hold your breath. You won't get any idea of availability - so if you do try to book you're effectively just emailing a request and will have to wait for a reply to find out if any rooms are free, and at what price.
The reality is that just about all accommodation is full - especially in and around the main host cities, Lisbon and Porto, and in the northern host towns, which lack the large-scale tourist infrastructure. The best bet is the Algarve, where, according to José Preto da Silva, head of tourism at the Portuguese National Tourist Office: 'There's loads of accommodation. It's just over two hours on the motorway from the Lisbon games, and there is plenty of parking.'
Flights
Try to be flexible - picking a day earlier or later can result in a massive drop in fares. British Airways (0870 850 9850; www.ba.com) and TAP Air Portugal (0845 601 0932; www.tap-airportugal.co.uk), which fly from Heathrow and Gatwick to Lisbon and Porto, have both laid on extra flights. Your best bet, though, is to fly to Faro, either on a charter with a big tour operator or a no-frills airline. Try Bmibaby (0870 264 2229; www.bmibaby.com) from East Midlands; EasyJet (0870 600 0000; www.easyjet.com) from Bristol, East Midlands, Gatwick, Luton and Stansted; Flyglobespan.com (0870 556 1522; www.flyglobespan.com) from Edinburgh and Glasgow; Jet2 (0870 737 8282; www.jet2.com) from Leeds-Bradford; or Monarch Scheduled (0870 040 6300; www.flymonarch.com) from Gatwick, Luton and Manchester.
Holiday deals
And what if you want to go to Portugal but avoid the footie? Surprisingly, there could be some good deals straight after the tournament. 'Bookings for July are down about 8 per cent on the usual,' said Ashley King, sales development manager of Caravela Tours, a Portugal specialist (0870 443 8181; www.caravela.co.uk). 'Sometimes holidaymakers stay away from a destination in the year of a big event; now our hotels are contacting us regularly with offers of reductions. With all the publicity, next year is going to be big, and this summer's school holidays are booking as well as ever, but if you wait until the end of the tournament, expect some good late deals for July.'
Practical information
Contact the Portuguese National Tourist Office (0845 355 1212; www.portugalinsite.com). Also check out euro2004.portugalinsite.com for useful hints on travelling to the tournament cities.
· James Bedding
